Rock n Roll Graffiti is a weekly column spotlighting engaging music personalities. The column stresses not only rock 'n' roll, but blues, jazz, country and folk. Stories feature a nostalgic look at Michigan's stars, local musicians and beloved rock legends, all from a personal, Upper Peninsula perspective. Music memories are recalled with an entertaining presentation of facts, a dash of opinion, and a bit of humor, all meant to bring a smile or nod of acknowledgment from the reader.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Interest in MC5 spans decades

Formed in Lincoln Park, the MC5 had abrief career, but long-lasting influence.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

The first article I wrote about the MC5 appeared on the front page of the May 18, 1971 edition of the Bay Beacon student newspaper.

The five young men who were the subject of the article comprised not only an incendiary rock band, but were at the center of a political movement as well.

Students at Bay College weren't the only ones interested in news about the MC5.

Shortening their name from Motor City Five, the group had a brief and controversial lifespan but a large and lasting influence.

The band made some national commotion when they played a free concert during an anti-war demonstration at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968. Their "Kick Out The Jams" single made some noise the following spring, despite-- or maybe because of-- the use of a curse word.

The band was "guided" by Detroit poet John Sinclair, who disliked the term manager. He got the MC5 a gig as the house band at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, owned by Russ Gibb. It was there they recorded their debut album before a live audience on Oct. 30 and 31, 1968.

By the following summer, Sinclair was sentenced to 10 years in prison after giving two marijuana cigarettes to an undercover narcotics officer.

Sinclair was sent to Southern Michigan State Prison in Jackson and later transferred to Marquette Branch Prison in the Upper Peninsula to serve his term. His relationship with the MC5 fell apart.

In a prison interview with Peter Steinberger, Sinclair said his imprisonment was the "best thing that's ever happened to our organization," referring to the White Panthers, Sinclair's group of counter-cultural white socialists looking to further the civil rights movement.

Separate from his political activities, Sinclair listened to music on a record player he bought from another prisoner and reviewed records for Jazz & Pop Magazine. According to his book "Guitar Army," Sinclair's record collection included jazz masters John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders and Archie Shepp; blues icons John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Paul Butterfield, plus Michigan staples like the Rationals, SRC, Bob Seger, the Up and of course, the MC5.

"Music really keeps me alive, you know?" Sinclair told Steinberger.

As Sinclair put in his time at Marquette, the nation's political climate continued to simmer.

Political activist Lawrence "Pun" Plamondon, who founded the White Panthers with Sinclair, went underground when he learned he was being charged with conspiracy in the bombing of the CIA office in Ann Arbor. Listed on the MC5's first album as "minister of defense," Plamondon secretly returned to lower Michigan after traveling to several foreign locations.

On July 23, 1970, he headed to the U. P. where he planned to hide out in the remote Keweenaw Peninsula. Traveling with two other White Panthers, Plamondon was arrested on US 2&41 near Naubinway, 50 miles west of St. Ignace, following an earlier stop for littering. Their vehicle was filled with guns.

According to his autobiography, "Lost From the Ottawa: The Story of the Journey Back," Plamondon was arrested and taken to the Mackinac County Jail before being moved to Detroit where he was charged with conspiracy and bombing government property.

Sinclair's fortunes improved on Dec. 10, 1971 when the John Sinclair Freedom Rally was held at Crisler Arena on the campus of University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The protest and concert featured ex-Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono, among others.

Sinclair was released on appeal bond three days later and his conviction was overturned. He had spent 29 months behind bars.

Plamondon eventually spent 32 months in prison, but his conviction was also overturned when the government admitted to wiretapping without a warrant.

Of Ottawa descent, Plamondom today is a respected tribal elder who speaks to high school and college students about the radical politics of the 1960s and 70s. Sinclair moved to the Netherlands, but recently talked about Michigan's medical marijuana law in an interview in "Big City Blues" magazine.

The MC5, meanwhile, played their last gig on New Years Eve, 1972, at the Grande Ballroom. Both Tyner and Smith died in the 1990s. Surviving members have held reunion shows in recent years.

Their three original albums stand as achievements to the MC5's musical greatness and provided the blueprint for the 1970s punk movement.

Many people continue to be fascinated by the band.

Film-makers Laurel Legler and David C. Thomas have spent years putting together a feature length documentary about the band, "MC5: A True Testimonial."

The pair collected photographs and silent film clips of the band, including surveillance footage shot by the U. S. government during the 1968 demonstrations in Chicago, and synched it to the band's music.

The documentary was shown at various festivals around the world from 2002 to 2004, drawing praise from critics and fans. However, the film became entangled in a lawsuit over publishing rights.

As one last hurtle to get the film released, Legler and Thomas needed to raise $27,000 to acquire a synchronization license to use the MC5's music in their documentary.

Just weeks ago, they put out a call for financial help with the aid of veteran Detroit music producer Freddie Brooks.

Brooks said he believes the MC5 documentary is "an absolute masterpiece and the film-makers deserve high praise both for their creativity and for their valiant struggle to make this tremendous film a reality."

My wife Sue and I offered our pledge to the effort. Despite more than 100 pledges, the funding goal was not reached.

For now, "MC5: A True Testimonial" will remain unissued, but people close to the project say they will find a way to release it.

I hope so. I would love to see it. Besides, the film provides the musical and visual background for that newspaper article I wrote four decades ago. ###

U. P. Jukebox

About the music on this blog

Michigan's rock history concentrates on the southeastern part of the state, deservedly so. Although the Detroit area produced some great music in the 1960s, the Upper Peninsula's contribution to the rock 'n' roll revolution of the era shouldn't be discounted. Sure the U. P. is isolated and sparsely peopled, with only three percent of the state's population. But, the fact that no band based north of the Mackinac Bridge registered a Top 40 hit in the 1960s was due to a conspiracy of geography, not a lack of quality material. Groups from across the region issued strong 45 rpm singles in their attempts to gain greater recognition and national fame as the rock 'n' roll spirit pervaded the U. P.

There were the Excels and French Church from Marquette, Riot Squad and Prophets of Doom from Escanaba, Rob Kirk and the Word and Renaissance Fair from Sault Ste. Marie, the Henchmen VI and Vigilantes from tiny Ontonagon, Joey Gee and the Come-ons and the Ravelles from Iron Mountain. Menominee had the Benders, Alston had the Rhythm Rockers, Kingsford boasted the Lexington Project, Ironwood contributed Danny and the Galaxies and Houghton touted the Kinetics.

Today, most of these songs are quite hard to come by, but they unashamedly reflect the dreams and aspirations of the the U. P.'s younger generation all those years ago.

So, give a listen and decide for yourself which tunes could have been hits, if only...

Rock 'n' Roll Graffiti now a book!

The 300-page volume, which includes dozens of photographs, spotlights engaging music personalities, stressing not only rock, but blues, jazz, country and folk.

Seymour said the soft-cover book surveys the music scene with an "entertaining presentation of facts, a dash of opinion, and a bit of humor, all meant to bring a smile or nod of acknowledgement from the reader."

The writer assembled the book from weekly music columns he wrote which originally appeared in the "That's Entertainment" section of the Daily Press, published every Thursday, beginning in the summer of 2005.

The book takes a nostalgic look at Michigan's stars, local musicians and beloved international rock legends, all from a personal, Upper Peninsula perspective, Seymour noted.

Divided into seven parts, "Rock 'n' Roll Graffiti" contains many music-related stories about the local rock scene of the 60s and the U. P.'s contribution to music over the years. Not stopping there, the author also included thoughts on the many concerts he's seen as well as sections about the blues and the Beatles.

"People have been asking me to put these stories into a book for well over a year now. Virtually every week I've gotten so many great comments and emails. I finally took them seriously," he said.

The book was printed by Instantpublisher.com, the short-run publishing division of Funcraft Publishing Co., located in Collierville, Tenn.

"I hope folks have as much fun reading these stories as I've had writing them," he added. Seymour and his wife Sue own the Record Rack in downtown Escanaba.

Seymour commented: "I've enjoyed rock music and writing since I was a teenager in the 60s. I feel lucky to have been around when rock's greatest stars created their most enduring hits."

A graduate of Central Michigan University, Seymour worked for the Daily Press and Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress before going into the retail record business in 1985.

"Rock 'n' roll has always been integral to me and for the last 22 years I've been earning my living from it even though I don't have a musical bone in my body," Seymour noted.

Copies of "Rock 'n' Roll Graffiti" are available for $11.98 at the Record Rack, 1212 Ludington St., Escanaba, Michigan 49829 or through paypal ($11.98 plus $4.00 postage).

About me

I've enjoyed rock music and writing since I was a teenager in the 60s. I feel lucky to have been around when rock's greatest stars created their most enduring hits. At the same time I found I enjoyed writing, as well. I worked on my high school newspaper and magazine, was editor of several college publications and earned a bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University in 1973. I worked for the daily newspaper in my hometown after graduating, becoming managing editor after a few years. By the 1980s, I moved into public relations. In 1985, my wife Sue and I opened a retail music store, The Record Rack, which we still own. Rock 'n' roll has been integral to me and for the last 2O years I've been earning my living from it even though I don't have a musical bone in my body. In recent years, I've also I edited a small local magazine and launched a micro FM radio station. Now, I'm finally combining my love of writing and rock 'n' roll. I can't sing a note, but I know what I like. I'll tell you all about it when you read on. I hope you have as much enjoyment reading these installments as I've had writing them.